Internally-fired engine



No. 723,503. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903. E. THOMSON.

INTERNALLY FIRED ENGINE.

. APPLICATION FILED FEB. s, 1899.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

\A/[T EEE EB. v

E. THOMSON.

INTERNALLY FIRED ENGINE. APPLICATION mum rm. 6,1899.

30 MODEL- 2 sums-sum 2.-

TTEEI- F321 El;

- PATENTED'MAR. 24,1903. I

. which the oil or other co'mbustible. is fed] Unwan- Snares FFEQE.

nLInu THOMSON,IOFSWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS.

INTERNALLY FlRfiD ENG-ins SPECIFICATION forming part of letters Patent No. 723,503, dated March 24, 1903,

' Application filed February 6, 1899. Serial Ho. 704,719. (No noclel.)

- the combustion of fuel internal to the engine.

The broad principle of operation is largely the same as that of the engine of my application, Serial No. 671,963, filed February 28,

1898. The present invention diflfers from that of the said application in combining means for obtaining animpulse every revolution witheach cylinder. It also difiers-in some details.

The principle of my invention is, briefly, as"

follows: Air is taken into the space back of the piston on the forward motion of the same, it being preferably injected from aspaoe into which it has been previously slightly compressed. If the cylinder-space be filled with burned gas and'the products of combustion,

the injected air largely takes its place and expels said products ofcombustion through suitable openings. The air so introduced is c ornpressed upon the return of the piston into a space adjoining the cylinder. While being thus compressed .it passes a valve which has been opened and which has been kept open during the time of compression. The piston on reaching the bottom of the cylinder or on reaching the end of its inward stroke, there being but little clearance provided, has thus compressed the volume of gas which was in the cylinder into the compression-space. The valve between the compression space or chamber and the cylinder is now closed and a passage-way provided, so that on the re turn of the piston or during theforward' stroke the air which had been compressedpasses through the fire-box or fire-space into This fire-box or fire-space is in connection directly with the cylinder-space, and 'the re! turn of the compressed gases is therefore after passing the fire-space.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section. 'Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is a ,plan of an engine constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs; 4 and 5 show the jet. or burner for mixing oil and vapor with air and burning the same. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 arediagrammaticviews showing the sequence of actions which take place during the operation of an engine of my invention.

It is to be understood that in details of .valve arrangements and valve-moving mechanisin,'disposition'of parts, and so on itis not n'ecessaryto follow the drawings; but they may bewidely modified without departing from the invention itself. Moreover, I have not shown any governing devices for controlling the speed of the engine, as thesev keep open the valve between the cylinder and the compressionspace. As the governor difierence of volume of the gas within the cyl I inder compressed at low temperature and the expansion of the same at high temperature forms nopart of the present invention, I have 1 not illustrated or described any-methods of accomplishing the'maintenauce of a uniform speed. H v p In Figs. 1, 2, and-3, B may represent a base-plate and W a fly-wheel mounted upon the shaft of the engine, which is carried in suitable bearings, as at J J, sustained from the-base. Asvshowu, these journals are carried ena sort of yoke v Y, adjoining two uprighhpillars, there-being four pillars shown, PP P P, supporting the upper parts of the "engine, which is of a' vertical type, though not. necessarily so. Connecting rods" are shown at.G and the piston-rod at R. The

piston rod may be snitablylguided, as on slides, or a parallel-motion arrangement may be employed,-as is indicated in the figures at M. Though: forming no essential part of my 7 present invention, I will briefly-refer to the parts of this parallelmotion. Al-ink Zis IO line, and, as shown, the pivotal points are made such that the smaller links 0 coincide with themiddlejhird of the long links m m,-i. e, the fixed pivotof the links 0 0 will be distant from the pivots n n of the pistonr3 rod one-third of the length of m-the length of the links 0 0 being thus (between their pivotal points) equal to one-third that of the links Til m, and theremaining third of said links m m is between the pivotal points of 0 0 and the pivotal points of the links Z Z tom 'm. This arrangement will, if the'links Z Z be of some length, give substantially a parallel movement-i. 8., the pivotal points '12 n on the piston-rod R will traverse nearly straightlines'back and forth. Changes in proportion may, as is well understood, be made in such an arrangement and parallel action still be produced. The piston-rod R passes through an opening in what may be termed the lower part of the cylinder-case K K. In the head of this case are'preferably arranged valves V V, which open inwardly on a slight difference of pressure existing between the exterior air and the air within the 5 space K K. The valves close when such a pressure has been equalized. 'lhe piston P is shown as down, at which position 'ituncovers the series of holes h 71, part of whichare the exhau'st-openings from the cylinder-space and 0 part of which form openings or passages of communication between the space K K below the piston and thespace above the piston. I

have illustrated by-h an opening which may be called anexhaust opening, and which may 5 lead to any suitable exhaust-space, and by 7L2 an opening which communicates between K K and the spaceabove the piston P. It is pre- Y ferred to make each alternate holeof the series h han exhaust-opening,and the remainder 5o willbe transfer-openings, such as 71, A large opening in the cylinder-head above is controlled by the valve H, and this openingcommuiiicateswith space 'l, which may be called a compression space or chamber, since on the upward motion ofthe piston P the greater part of the gas in the cylinder is forced into said space under increasing pressures.- The valve H,.operating by a stem running th rough a stufiing-box at q, is controlled by a suitable 6o cam is upon acarn-shat't or by other mechanism rcceiving its motion directly from the mo tionsof the engine and synchronizing therewith. This shaft in the figure is driven by a chain Z, running over suitable sprockets,

the lower one moved, as is plainly evident in the figure, by the shaft of the engine and the other one mounted on the shaft bearing the cam k. A pump D, operated by the motions pf the engine, suitably communicated, serves to supply oil to the engine, as will be described. A spring S is shown as tending to open the valve H, the cam is acting to close the same. The valve Hie-intact, arranged to be closed during that part of the revolution which corresponds to the downward motion of the piston P and to be opened during that part of the revolution which corresponds to the upward stroke of the piston P The compression-space T communicates by a passage g with the upper end of the fire-space and with a suitable jet or fuel and air-mixing device seated at the upper part of the fire-space shown at F. It ispreferred to provide a valve H", which closes the passage g whenever the piston P? is on the upstroke and opens communication from the space T through g whenever the piston is on the downv stroke. t

The jet or burner B (shown separately in 90 Figs. 4 and 5 for clearness) is simplyadevice for causing the air compressed in T to pick up and distribute the oil discharged by pump -D. To this end it is made with passages for the entrance of air from the duct g and passages for the entrance of oil from the pipe 15, led from the pump D. It is also made with the openings directed toward the fire-space z'. 6., down wardly-the openings for air intersecting the passage for oil, so that the oil will be picked up and distributed in the firespace. The fire space or chamber F is preferably lined with refractory material and filled with refractory material having perforations therethrough, or the tire space is nearly filled with pieces of fire-resisting material, such as hard baked fire clay, supported on the lower grid N of refractory material. The object is to have the space F as thoroughly filled aspossible consistent with the free combustion. of the air and oil in passing therethrough.

Having described the general construction.

of the engine embodying myinvention, I will now proceed to indicate the manner of its operation. To start the engine, the fire-plug or burner B is removed, as by unscrewin'git, when it has been constructed with a thread, as shown. The piston P is placed in its lowest position,as shown in Fig. 1. A gas 01'- 'oil blowpipe or torch has its flame now driven down through the mass of perforations or pieces of refractory material in F, so as to bring a portion of the same toa red heat." Instead of doing this the refractory material itself might be removed and heated separately.

in a crucible or-furnace and put in place before starting. itself made hot is now screwed into place, whereby the openings-through it are made to reach the air-duct g and the openings from the pump D feeding oil, which oil may be any of the forms of petroleum, such as kerosene-oil, gasolene, 850. Now on giving the engine a turn the piston P rises, the valve The fire-plug or burner B H is opened, and the air above the piston 19 is forced into the compression-space T, which .is comparatively cool. It is to be understood that both the compression-space T and the' cylinder-walls themselves may be water- A little of it will, however, have gone-into space, as at N, back of the piston.

the fire-space F; but inasmuch as its entrance into the fire-space F is attended by great expansion, due to the high temperature of the same, the amount which passes into the fire-space, is restricted. The valve H now shuts and the valve H is opened. The piston begins to descend. The compressed air in T can now only get back to the cylinder by passing through the burner 13' and the fire-space F, where it meets the fuel and is thereby-burned, and the hot expanding gases are delivered from the lower part of the fire- The mean elfective compression-pressure is naturally much lower than the mean eifectiveexpansion-pressure, owingto the difierenc'e of tomperature, and it is to this difference of mean effective pressures that the power of the en.- gine is due. Then the piston P has reached its lowest point, a rush of all takes place from the space K K through the openings 71. while the heated or expanded gases are in large part blown out of the exhaust-openings, such as h. Theair which had accumulated in K K had been taken in on the ascent of the piston by the valves V V opening and had been slightly compressed on the descent of the piston-rod.

Of course a sepa rate air-pump might be used instead of making the piston P pump its own air, and itwill be understood, further, that the various fuels and methods of supplying the same shown in my application Serial No.

671,963 referred to may be employed in the operation of the present invention.

I now briefly call attention to the'diagrainmatic Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. In Fig. 6 the. piston P? is down and the washing-out process is taking place'through 7L2 from K, while the ejection of the hot waste gases is occurring from h. The valve -H is just opening,

as determined by the cam on the cam-shaft,

while valve H is shutting. Fig. .7 shows what is occurring whenthe piston P- is rising. The

-air above it is being compressed into space T and the valves V V are opening and allowing the space K to fill with air on the upstroke of the piston P In-Fig. 8 the valve H is closed and H open, so that the air which was in the cylinder above P 'is now com-' pressed in the space T. The cam is has closed the valve H and opened H Meanwhile oil is being pumped by the pump D-into,the

burner. On the descent of the piston, .as in Fig. 9, valves V V close and what air is in K is undergoing a moderate reduction of volumc. The air in T, however, is now passing through the fire, meeting the oil from pump D, and gives increased combustion, which highly heats the products of combustion. 70 These products are expanding and exert pressure on the piston P during the downstroke. On the completion of the downstroke the parts come into the same relation as in Fig. 6. Fig. .10 shows the action which at that moment occurs. This completes the cycle.

It may be stated that the valve H may, indeed, be dispensed with if there is afair am 'unt of resistance to the passage of the gases duringcompression through the fire-' 8o chamber F, for in this case very little gas when the valve H-is wide open will pass int-0' T through the fire-space, and most all of it will reach the compression-space '1 through the large opening-uncovered bythe lifting of the valve H. I prefer, however, to provide the valve H inasmuch as it effectively shuts off the possibility'of any oil or vapor of a combustible nature reaching the com pressionspace T.

. It will be seen that myinvention produces an engine giving a power impulse'every revolution and that it does not burn its combustible by explosion producing shockand that, furthermoregit is possible to obtain a very 5 complete combustion, since the air supplied may be in excess of the combustible and since, further, all the combustible has to pass in reaching the cylinder through an intenselyheatedmass of material, which destroys its I00 power to emit odor. I i

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an engine,.the combination of a piston and cylinder, means for injecting a slightlyr05 compressed charge of air into the cylinderat or about the completion of the piston-stroke,

a compression-space opening into the cylinder wherein thecharge is further compressed by the movement of the piston, a fire space no or chamber communicating with the compression-space and the'cylinder, and means for closing the opening" between the compression 7 space and the cylinder whereby the" charge is compelled to pass through the lirer r 5 chamber and be heated on its return to the cylinder.

2. In an internally-fired engine, the combi-' nation of a cylinder, a piston, means for injecting a more or lesscompressed charge of no air into the cylinder, a compression-space in communication with the cylinder, means for increasing the compression of: the saidfcharge, a fire-space comm unicating with the cylinder and the compression-space, and a valve for closing the opening between the com pressiom space-and the cylinder so that the charge is obliged to pass through the fire-space on its return to the cylinder.

3. In an internally-fired engine, the combi- 1 o nation of a cylinder, exhaust-ports therefor,

a'piston moving in said cylinder and. arranged to compress a charge of air on its inward stroke, a compression-chamber opening into the cylinde and arranged to receive the air which is compressed by the piston, a valve for closing the opening during the power-stroke of the piston, a second chamber lined with refractory material and connecting with the first, means for supplying fuel to the second chamber, and means for injectinginto the cylinder under pressure a fresh charge of air toreplace, in whole or in part, the spent gases.

4. In an internally-fired engine, a cylinder, a piston, a fire-chamber, a com pression-chamber opening into the cylinder and also into the fire-chamber, means for supplying 't' iel to the fire-chamber during the power-stroke of the piston, means for cutting ottcommunication between the compression-chamber and the cylinder except through the fire-chamber, and means for displacing the spent gasesby fresh air under pressure upon the completion of the power-stroke.

set of ports or openings connecting the cylin- 5. In an internally-fired engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston, a compressionchamber opening into the cylinder, a firechamber opening into the compression-chamber and also the cylinder, a valve which closes the opening between the compression-chamher and the cylinder on each power-stroke of the piston, and a second valve which opens the passage between the fire and compression chambers at or about the time the first-mentioned valve closes.

6. In an internally-fired engine, the c0mbination of a cylinder, a piston, a compressionchamber opening into the cylinder, a firechamber which is permanently open to the cylinder and also opens into the com pressionchamber, a double valve acting to control the action of the compression-chamber, acam for actuating the valve, and a mechanical connection between the-moving parts of the engine and the cam.

7 In an internally-tired engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston, a chamber into which the cylinder opens and in which the air charges are initially compressed-by the piston, valves in the chamber permitting air to enter but not to escape, valve-openings which are uncovered by the piston for permitting the initially-compressed charge to enter the cylinder back of the piston, a chamber in which the charge of air is further compressed, and a firechamber in 'which' the charge of air mingles with the proper amount of combustible, after which it returns to the cylinder. v 8. In an internally-fired engine, the combination of a cylinder, achamber into which the cylinder opens, a set of ports or openings between the chamber and the cylinder, a second dot with the atmosphere, the ports of one set alternating with those of the second set,

and a piston for the engine, which alternately opens and closes the sets of ports'or openings.

9. In an internally-tired engine, the combination of a chamber, acylinder opening into the chamber, a piston arranged to move within the cylinder and give an initial pressure to a charge of air at the forward end of'eaeh stroke, a valve for regulating the passage of this charge into the cylinder, a chamber opening into the cylinder in which the final compression is given to the charge by the piston'ou its return stroke, a fire-chamber opening into the cylinder, and means for closing the direct opening between the compressionchamber and the cylinder, and permitting the charge to enter the fire-chamber on its return to the cylinder.

10. In an internally-fired engine, the combination of' a cylinder, a. chamber connecting with one end of the cylinder, a second chamber connected to the opposite end of the cylinder, a piston which on the forward stroke gives an initial pressure to the charge of air in the first-mentioned chamber, and on its return stroke completes the compression of said charge and discharges it into the second chamber, a means for mixing fuel with the charge after it is compressed, and a chamber containing a body of fire-resisting material for heating and expanding said charge for actuating the piston.

11. In'an internally-fired engine, the OOUlOlnation of a cylinder, a chamber connected therewith, a port between the cylinder and the chamber, a piston which compresses a charge of air and uncovers the port on its outward stroke, and further compresses the charge of air on its inward stroke, a-compression-chamber which receives the air after it is compressed for the second time,a firebox arranged to receive the charge from the compression-chamber and deliver it to the rear of the piston, and automatic means for supplying fuel to the fire-box.

12. In theinternally-fired engine,the combination of a cylinder, a chamber connected therewith, a. port between the cylinder'and thechamber, a piston which compresses a charge of air and uncovers the port on its outward stroke, and further compresses the charge of air on its inward stroke, a compression-chamber which receives the air after it is compressed for the second time, a valve for closing the compression-chamber to the cylinder on the power-stroke of the piston, a

= fire-box, a fuel-pump arranged to deliver fuel to the firebox and a driving connection between the engine and the pump.

In witness whereof-I have hereunto set 111 band this 3d day of February, 1899. V

' EL'IHU THOMSON. Witnesses: V

DUGALD MOKILLOP, HENRY 0. WESTENDARP. 

